The Great Formula Feeding Thread

glitterclaws · August 2014

We use bottled water (spring water) and only because we never change the filter in our fridge dispenser. We wash with hot soapy water and never steralize, because I'm lazy.

Aab7114 · August 2014

Hot soapy water after every use and then occasional sterilizations. Probably once a week to week and a half.

kweaver123 · August 2014

I only sterilized before first use. I put everything in the dishwasher now.

littlemissmarla · August 2014

Looks like I'll be using the Brita pitcher! Thanks all!

MrsCrouch90 · August 2014

Any one else's LO on alimentum? We just started it today. How long did it take to help with fussiness, gas, and spitting up?

abundancenow · August 2014

MrsCrouch90 said:

Any one else's LO on alimentum? We just started it today. How long did it take to help with fussiness, gas, and spitting up?

I had considered switching to this bc DD has had such a hard time with gas and acid reflux and just totally fussing. I heard Good Start by Gerber may help after switching formulas 3 times. After 2 days with Good Starts Soothe, I've noticed huge improvements in DD, she's actually sleeping!

It costs more, but worth the peace. Alimentum is even more expensive.

glitterclaws · August 2014

MrsCrouch90 said:
Any one else's LO on alimentum? We just started it today. How long did it take to help with fussiness, gas, and spitting up?

We are on nutramigen, the enfamil version of milk allergy formula, because of reflux. It seemed like gas pains reduced within a few days, but it has taken us two weeks to stop with the daily projectile vomiting. We were on a 4-day, no vomiting, actually burping, streak until yesterday. Today we had zero vomits, so I'm hoping we are starting a new streak.

MrsCrouch90 · August 2014

DS just got put on it yesterday by his doctor because of formula intolerance and add reflux. He seems to be a lot happier today but still projectile vomits, and has bad gas. So I think his happiness is attributed to the Zantac. Hoping the formula will start working soon.

Lindsay2907 · August 2014

littlemissmarla said:

Csltdk said:

@littlemissmarla‌ I don't think I have ever seen snark from you, you tell dat bitch

Sleep deprivation has taken it's toll, haha I no longer have patience for assholes.

Sorry guys. I just came back and saw this. I truly didn't mean to be snarky. Part of me was wishful thinking that it wasn't true because I feed powder.
Really though, I've been on these boards for a Long time, but took a break and came back looking for support again, too...the last thing I meant to do was stir up something.

emy730 · August 2014

How do you prepare your bottles? We've been using room temperature water from our filtration system, but I noticed on the formula container it says to warm it up. The only time I warm it is if I make bottles up beforehand and store them in the fridge.

Do you warm all of your bottles? Is there any harm to using room temperature water?

MrsCrouch90 · August 2014

@emy730‌ we use room temperature nursery water. We only warm them if they are in the refrigerator.

skr1619 · August 2014

MrsCrouch90 said:
@emy730‌ we use room temperature nursery water. We only warm them if they are in the refrigerator.

Ditto this

littlemissmarla · August 2014

Lindsay2907 said:

littlemissmarla said:

Csltdk said:

@littlemissmarla‌ I don't think I have ever seen snark from you, you tell dat bitch

Sleep deprivation has taken it's toll, haha I no longer have patience for assholes.

Sorry guys. I just came back and saw this. I truly didn't mean to be snarky. Part of me was wishful thinking that it wasn't true because I feed powder.
Really though, I've been on these boards for a Long time, but took a break and came back looking for support again, too...the last thing I meant to do was stir up something.

No worries

nbeverly916 · August 2014

Does anyone else's los seem to be eating a ton! It seems that all she wants to do is eat when she's awake especially in the evenings. She would eat 6 ounces if I let her and if I don't she cries. ..

skr1619 · August 2014

nbeverly916 said:
Does anyone else's los seem to be eating a ton! It seems that all she wants to do is eat when she's awake especially in the evenings. She would eat 6 ounces if I let her and if I don't she cries. ..

Yes! My son is 7 1/2 weeks old. He's great in the morning and in the best mood. Then all hell breaks loose in the pm and all he wants to do is eat or cry.

I'm thinking he may be going through a growth spurt or one is coming up. He's currently in his 2nd leap in the Wonder Weeks. Wondering if that has anything to do with his extra cranky mood. How old is your lo?

nbeverly916 · August 2014

Ok. She is 6 weeks and some days so it could be a growth spurt. I just feel like I'm feeding her too much!

TwizzyG · August 2014

nbeverly916 said:

Ok. She is 6 weeks and some days so it could be a growth spurt. I just feel like I'm feeding her too much!

The vast majority of babies will stop eating when they are full. They'll either stop sucking, spit out the bottle (if bottle feeding), or fall asleep.

But it sounds like your LO has hit a growth spurt.

tourqeyes · August 2014

I definitely have 'second mom syndrome'. I only sterilized the bottles that one time originally and use tap water. He'll be just fine!!

tourqeyes · August 2014

+ also....With DS1 I stuck to a strict rule about how long to let him eat from a bottle. DS2 nursed from the same bottle that I refilled two or three times the entire afternoon yesterday. He just eats and eats and eats so it just feels like time limit has never 'run up' on whatever the 'rule' is.

lindslalala · August 2014

tourqeyes said:
I definitely have 'second mom syndrome'. I only sterilized the bottles that one time originally and use tap water. He'll be just fine!!

Same here! Plus I have bought generic "Similac". The first time mom version of me would be shocked.

chawkins · August 2014

Any advice about a formula for a gassy baby that tastes most like bm? I tried to give my LO a bottle of formula today and she freaked out. She later took a bottle of breast milk so I know it's not the bottle.
Thank you

jennp1979 · August 2014

For those of you that were BF or pumping...what did you do for aftercare to get rid of milk still in breasts?

mustangholly · August 2014

How r u ladies handling constipation? LO is on breast milk and formula and poops are thicker. Seems to struggle s bit. Anything I can do? LO will be getting 100% formula in a couple weeks. I don't want to make it worse.

cookieinva · August 2014

I'm no expert on BF poop, but isn't it normal for FF poop to be "thicker"? If so and that is all you are considering to be constipation, I think there is nothing to worry about and thicker BMs are just normal. Or is your LO struggling or going too many days without a BM?

alyss0nl · August 2014

Just saw the pedi for lo's constipation. Apparently it's still supposed to be somewhat soft. If it's like peanut butter or thicker, than baby may be constipated. She suggested an oz or less of apple juice in the bottle, or prune juice. She said I could use a little bit of karo syrup in his bottle, but she seemed to shy away from that. Honestly after trying the apple and prune juice, the karo syrup did the trick. He's still constipated, but it's getting better.

ChrisB · August 2014

shortstack930 said:

Do you guys sterilize the bottles after each use or just wash with soap and water?
I sterilize my bottles, nipples, pacis, and any other bottle parts before the first use and then once a week eta: and just wash with soap and water throughout the week
Okay good because this is exactly what I had been doing but then a friend told me she sterilizes after each use so I was worried I was doing something wrong. Thanks!

Holy Crap! I've been sterilizing after EVERY feed and I boil the water to make his formula. I feel like all I do is clean, sterilize, boil water and make his food. Good to know that we don't have to sterilize after every feed.

So....using water from my Brita would be ok then? I mean rather than boiling it and letting it cool?

ChrisB · August 2014

Also, do you make enough bottles (water+formula) for the day or do you just make them as needed? Since I have been boiling/cooling the water, I will make up 4 or 5 bottles each time and put them in the fridge that way they are ready to go when I need them.

TexasGirl81 · August 2014

ChrisB said:
Also, do you make enough bottles (water+formula) for the day or do you just make them as needed? Since I have been boiling/cooling the water, I will make up 4 or 5 bottles each time and put them in the fridge that way they are ready to go when I need them.

I would just make them as she needed them. When we went out I would fill the bottles with just water and bring the formula in the diaper bag. It all worked out greatly!

Also with the sterilizing, I did it only once then after it's always been hot water and soap.

ChrisB · August 2014

TexasGirl81 said:

Also, do you make enough bottles (water+formula) for the day or do you just make them as needed? Since I have been boiling/cooling the water, I will make up 4 or 5 bottles each time and put them in the fridge that way they are ready to go when I need them.
I would just make them as she needed them. When we went out I would fill the bottles with just water and bring the formula in the diaper bag. It all worked out greatly! Also with the sterilizing, I did it only once then after it's always been hot water and soap.

I've just caught on to this in the last few days...duh! Makes it a whole lot easier to do it this way!

emy730 · August 2014

What size/stage nipples are you using in your bottles? We just switched to stage 2 (Dr. Brown's) and it seems to be working a lot better with DDs feedings.

TricksyPixie · August 2014

emy730 said:
What size/stage nipples are you using in your bottles? We just switched to stage 2 (Dr. Brown's) and it seems to be working a lot better with DDs feedings.

We are still at stage 1s. Don't stage twos say 3 months? I pretty much go "by the book." FTM doesn't want to fuck things up, pardon my language. I already messed breastfeeding up.

I'm dealing with a return of my guilt on that...

littlemissmarla · August 2014

@emy730

We use stage 2's - DD is a little over a month.. I think I kind of screwed up at first because we were using both large and small Avent bottles and I didn't realize the large Avent bottles already had stage 2 nipples.. so I was noticing that LO seemed to be getting frustrated with the small bottles (because they were 1's as opposed to when she had the 2s on the large bottles).. we switched over to all 2's and she's been fine with them.

alyss0nl · September 2014

We use Avent bottles, and switch between size 1 and 2 nipples. LO is a ferocious eater and seems to suck in a lot of air with the 1s, but will dibble milk everywhere if we use the size 2s. Damned if we do, damned if we don't.

Mamanorris81 · September 2014

@TricksyPixie‌ you didn't fuck anything up. You tried your best, sometimes it just doesn't work. I tried and couldn't breast feed two babies because my boobies are broken. I know the guilt you feel, it's hard to deal with.

shortstack930 · September 2014

Is it really necessary to consult the pedi before switching formulas? DD is on Similac but has been super gassy and straining to poop. It's a holiday weekend so I didn't want to call the pedi's emergency line because it's not an emergency, but I was thinking of switching her to Similac Sensitive.

MrsCrouch90 · September 2014

@emy730‌ for DS we have dr brown but he hates them, so we switched to playtex vent air with the collapsible bags. It helps a lot with his gas and we use the 2 flow nipple.

TexasGirl81 · September 2014

shortstack930 said:
Is it really necessary to consult the pedi before switching formulas? DD is on Similac but has been super gassy and straining to poop. It's a holiday weekend so I didn't want to call the pedi's emergency line because it's not an emergency, but I was thinking of switching her to Similac Sensitive.

@shortstack930‌
We are in the exact same place right now. As of today I'm switching to the similac sensitive. I'm not asking the pedi. I have no more of the blue similac left so I'll be switching.

I have a really good feeling the LO will do much better on this one. I'm comfortable doing it without asking. Do what you feel is best. Not much longer till they open back up right?

I'll keep you updated on how LO does on this brand. GL!!

shortstack930 · September 2014

@TexasGirl81‌ thanks! I just hate seeing her in pain and we are running low on formula anyway. Hope it works out well for you!

alyss0nl · September 2014

It may be because I'm a STM, but I didn't ask the pedi when I switched LO to soy because my first had the same issues, and I knew if I wanted a happy baby, I just needed to switch him.

Dawn5481 · September 2014

Lurker from Aug 14. Came across this thread after failing at bfing and feeling like I had failed at motherhood too. I just wanted to interject to say thank you for creating this one. You have no idea how much it has helped my mothering self-esteem. I feel so much better knowing there are so many others going through the same thing and their LO's are thriving.

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